Fountain applicator with magnetic valve



Patented Feb. 10, 1953 FOUNTAIN APPLICATOR WITH MAGNETIC VALVE William T. Keeshan, Navesink, N. J.; Andree G. Keeshan administratrix of said William T.

Keeshan, deceased Application March 1, 1948, Serial No. 12,432

6 Claims.

This invention relates to fountain applicators and dispensers which may be employed as a means for containing and applying liquid substances.

An object of the invention is to provide a fountain applicator comprising a housing adapted to contain a liquid, with fluid outlet means communicating with the inside of the housing, and novel means for maintaining said fluid outlet means in normally closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide, for use in applicators, a novel valve mechanism for normally closing the fluid discharge outlet, without use of any resilient biasing means.

.A further object of the invention is to provide. for use in applicators and the like, a novel valve mechanism including valve closing elements, one of which is permanently magnetized and the other of which is attracted magnetically thereto, to close said valve, said elements being manually separable.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described, which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, highly efiicient in operation, and attractive in appearance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of a complete dispenser constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View as seen alone the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the upper portion of the device shown in Fig. 1, illustrating particularly the valve mechanism and the manner of use thereof; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating a modified form of my invention.

In the use of dispensing devices, such as those which include a reservoir in the housing thereof for storage of the liquid to be dispensed, various means for discharging the liquid from the reservoir have been devised, all of which are open to objections, particularly when spring biased closures are employed. The use of springs introduces complications, not the least of which are the possibility of leakage as the spring weakens,

of getting stuck and the considerable added cost of manufacture in a field wherein extensive comfor these difficulties.

In order to understand clearly the nature of the invention, and the best means for carrying it out, reference may now be had to the drawings, in which like numerals denote similar parts throu hout the several views.

As seen in Fig. 1, there is shown an applicator discharge nozzle or tip 2 which is formed preferably of such suitable material as rustless and stainless steel, the material forming the tip being such that it is attracted by a magnet. The side walls of the tip 2 may be partly cylindrical as at [2, being reduced as at M, and threaded externally as at l5, for threaded engagement with the internal threads on the upstanding connecting or tipsupport bushing 18.

The tip support bushing I8 is also externally threaded at 20, for engagement with the corresponding internal threads formed in the upper portion of the hollow tubular main housing 1. The latter may be closed at the bottom by the lower wall 22 which may be integral therewith, and is thus adapted to receive a liquid reservoir or vial 3 which is preferably made of glass or other transparent material, the contents of the vial being visible through its walls, by means of the inspection openings 6 suitably disposed in the walls of the housing I.

As seen in the drawing, the lower end of the tip support bushing l8 bears securely and snugly against the upper end surface of the liquid vial 3, and a suitable gasket 3a may be provided between the abutting surfaces of the vial and the tip sup port bushing if desired, to insure the liquid-tight seal therebetween, blocking leakage therepast.

The axial bore 24 of the bushing I8 is thus brought into communication with the interior bore, 26 of the liquid vial 3, to receive liquid therefrom.

The dispensing tip 2 has an axial bore 66 formed therein, which is conically reduced above location 28 as shown, the upper end of the bore 66 thereby forming a liquid discharge outlet at 39. There is thus formed inside the upper end ofthe dispensing tip 2, a conical valve plunger seat 32 for the matching conical upper surface 34 of the valve plunger 36. The valve plunger 36 is formed of magnetic material which is permanently and highly magnetized, so as to be normally attracted toward the dispensing tip 2, to normally maintain the matching conical surfaces of the valve plunger and the conical bore of the dispensing tip in substantially perfect seating contact with each other. The parts are so dimensioned that in such valve-closed position, the upper end 38 of the magnetic plunger 36 projects slightly above 1andzout of the upper surface of the dispensing 1p lfhe body of the magnetic valve plunger 36 is reduced at its lower portion, to form a cylindrical shank 48, an annular shoulder being thus formed around the lower surface of the conical head of the plunger. A stop bushing 42 formed of nonmagnetic: materials such as brass or hard rubber is disposed inside thewcylindrical' portion of the dispensing tip bore 66, the fit being quite snug to avoid dislodgment from said position. As illustrated, the lower end or shoulder of the plunger head is normally spaced somewhat above the upper end of the stop bushing 42 when the magnetic plunger is in its uppermost. or, valve closed. position, the stop bushing acting'as a stopto limit, any greater than normal or excessive downward motion of the magnetic plunger when the latter is depressed by pressure upon the upper end 33 of the magnetic plunger.

Since the shank 40 of the magnetic plunger fits loosely inside the stop bushing, such depression or the magnetic. valve plunger open the valvebyproviding a path around the plunger for escape of liquid from the vial reservoir 25 and through the discharge outlet. Bil. The non-magneticbushing 42 may be held in position by means of a liner bushing M- which is threaded into the lower end of the axial bore 65 of the dispensing tip 2, the: lower end or skirt of the bushin 44% depending somewhatbelow the lower extremity of the dispensing tip.

It will be understood that, due to the magnetic attraction between the permanently magnetized valve plunger 36 and the steel dispensing tip 2 encircling the same, and the matching conical surfaces of the valve plunger and the valve seat in the tip, the valve plunger will be normally biased upwards into seating engagement with the valve seat, so as to normally close the valve thus formed, with the upper end 38 of the valve plunger normally projecting slightly above the surface of the dispensin tip. Liquid in the reservoir vial 3 cannot then escape through the discharge outlet 30. However, when the device is inverted and the projecting end 38 of the plunger is pressed against a portion of the body, such as the surface of the hand (see Fig. 3), the pressure will overcome the magnetic forces, retracting the magnetic valve plunger 36 inside the tip bore, so as to permit liquid to escape past and around the unseated valve plunger.

Upon release of the retracting pressure of the body surface of the plunger end 38, the magnetic forces are again free to seat the magnetic plunger in its conical seat, closing the valve. It will be observed that this construction requires no springs or other resilient type of valve closing force, thus reducing the maintenance and cost of manufacture. It will be understood that the degree of additional sealing means required at the junction points of the various bushings and the like, will depend largely upon the viscosity and volatility of the liquid which is to be dispensed from the device. Thus, unless the parts are joined with very little tolerance, such volatile liquids as perfumes, may require the installation of gaskets or other sealing means at such points. However, the conical surfaces of the magnetic valve plunger and its seat may be finely and accurately formed or ground, and thus require no such gaskets for that purpose.

A downwardly open closure cap 45 may be employed to protect the device against accidental spillage when carried in the pocket or hand bag, due to pressure upon the end 38 of the valve plunger. The cap 45 may be threaded internally as at 48 for engagement with the matching outer threads 50 on the tip support bushing l8.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of the invention, which is distinguished from that of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 mainly by its lack of a separate glass liquid vial, and in the means for securing, the protective cap. on the housing. The dispensing tip, magnetic plunger and other parts bearin the same numbers as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 may be identical in construction. However, it will be seen that the lower threads on the dispensing tip engage directly with the matching inside threads on the. upper endof theupwardly open bore 52 which also formsthe liquid reservoir of the main hous- .4

A sealing gasket may be located at 56 if desired for greater sealing effect, particularly if theabutting surfaces do not match eXactly in the same plane. The housing 54 is reduced at 58 to receive thereover the protective ca 6,8, the tolerance therebetween being sufficiently small as to prevent too easy accidental dislodgment of the cap, the latter being permanently" linked to the main housin 54 by means of the chain 62-, which prevents loss, of the cap.

From the above description, it will be seen that my invention is a practical and convenient device for use in dispensing liquids as required, while avoiding unnecessary leakage. For further sealing effect, if considered desirable, a magnetic block. of metal M may be disposed inside, the caps 58 and 58, in. such position that when the caps are in. protective, closed position, the. magnetic plunger 36 is attracted by the said block of metal, and held even more securely in seating valve closed position.

Although the. shape of the magnetic valve 36 has been shown and described as conical, it: is understood that the, same may be. of any other; suitable shape.

Although. I have described my invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in size, shape, materials and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

l. A liquid dispensing device comprising a main housing, a liquid storage reservoir disposed in said main housing, a liquid discharge tip carried on said main housing and having a liquid discharge outlet formed therein, means communieating between said storage reservoir and said discharge outlet, a valve seat formed in said liquid discharge tip in said communicating means, a valve plunger adapted to seat upon said valve seat to block passage of liquid through said discharge outlet, a portion of said valve plunger protruding through said discharge outlet, said valve plunger being permanently magnetized and said valve seat being formed of material which is attracted to a magnet, whereby under the influence of external pressure on said protruding portion of said plunger the magnet force is overcome to retract said plunger from its seating engagement with said valve seat to permit liquid from said reservoir to pass through said discharge outlet.

2. The construction according to claim 1, characterized further in that said valve plunger has a conical valve surface of predetermined crosssectional contour and said valve seat has a matching seat surface.

3. A liquid dispensing device comprising a main housing, having a chamber therein, a liquid storage vial disposed in said chamber, a support bushing carried on the upper portion of said main housing and serving to retain said vial in said chamber, a liquid dispensing tip carried on the upper end of said support bushing and having an axial bore communicating through said support bushing with the interior of said liquid storage vial, said axial bore being of predetermined cross-sectional contour at its discharge end portion to provide a valve seat opening upon a liquid discharge outlet, the material forming said valve seat being such that it is attracted by a magnet, a permanently magnetized valve plunger disposed in the said axial bore in said dispensing tip, said valve plunger having a head portion adapted for seating engagement with said valve seat surface to block passage of liquid through said discharge outlet, the tip end of said head portion protruding normally out of said liquid discharge outlet when the plunger is in said valve closed position, whereby, due to magnetic force between the plunger and the valve seat, they are normally magnetically biased into mutual seating engagement to close said valve, and whereby, under the influence of external pressure on said protruding tip end of the plunger, the magnetic force is overcome to retract said plunger from seating on the valve seat, forming a passageway around the lunger for passage of liquid from the liquid storage vial out through the discharge outlet.

4. The construction according to claim 3, characterized further in that said valve plunger is provided with a shank, a non-magnetic bushing encircling said shank and being of greater inside diameter than said shank, said bushing limiting excessive retractive motion of the said valve plunger, to insure return of the plunger magnetically to valve closed position upon release of the retractive outside pressure.

5 The construction according to claim 3, characterized further in that a protective cap is provided, and means for securing said cap to said dispensing device.

6. The construction according to claim 5 characterized further in that said protective cap is provided with an inner surface portion of material capable of attracting a magnetized member whereby the valve will be held more securely in seating valve closed position when the device is not in use.

WILLIAM T. KEESHAN.

REFERENQES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 25,831 Hunt Oct. 18, 1859 247,488 Elliott Sept. 27, 1881 912,576 Kelly Feb. 16, 1909 947,991 Hurt Feb. 1, 1910 1,003,190 Mason Sept. 12, 1911 1,122,624 McNutt Dec. 29, 1914 1,257,910 Meves Feb. 26, 1918 1,319,787 Moran Oct. 28, 1919 1,431,467 Kooperstein Oct. 10, 1922 1,670,458 Le Boeuf May 22, 1928 2,204,778 Strum June 18, 1940 2,206,053 Schroeder July 2, 1940 2,216,809 Derby Oct. 8, 1940 2,435,758 Snyder Feb. 10, 1948 

